Everyday Greek breads
Bread (psomi) is central to the Greek table. It is served with almost every meal, for mopping up olive oil, sauces and the juices of stews. The most common types you will see include:
- Horiatiko psomi (village bread): a rustic round or oval loaf with a thick crust, often made with wheat flour and sometimes sourdough.
- Pita: a soft flatbread used for wraps and for scooping dips.
- Koulouri: a sesame-covered ring, usually eaten as a snack.
- Paximadi: twice-baked barley or wheat rusks, popular in Crete and used for dakos.
- Eliopsomo: olive bread, made with olives and sometimes herbs.
- Tiropsomo: a soft bread made with cheese, often feta, worked into the dough.
Names and shapes change from region to region, so these are common categories rather than a fixed list.
Greek pita vs gyro bread
A frequent question is whether gyro bread is just pita. In everyday use, yes: the bread used around gyros and souvlaki in Greece is called pita. But it is a different style from the thin, hollow pita pockets sold in many supermarkets abroad. Greek pita for wraps is generally a soft, slightly thicker flatbread without a pocket, warmed on a grill or pan so it folds around the filling. It is also the bread served for scooping dips such as tzatziki.
Greek pita is also unrelated to pita meaning a pie in Greek, as in spanakopita or tiropita, where the word refers to a filled pastry. Context makes the meaning clear.
For ideas on how the bread is used in wraps, see our popular Greek sandwiches article.
Koulouri and other street-side breads
Koulouri is a ring of dough covered in sesame seeds, baked until crisp outside and chewy within. It is sold from carts and bakeries and is a common breakfast on the go. It is often compared to a bagel, but it is typically less dense and not boiled in the same way. Different cities, such as Thessaloniki, have their own versions. For other quick bakery snacks, read our Greek street food dishes guide.
Festive and seasonal breads
Many Greek breads are tied to the religious calendar or to special occasions.
Lagana
Lagana is a flat, usually unleavened or lightly leavened bread, traditionally baked on Clean Monday, the first day of Lent in the Greek Orthodox calendar. It is often topped with sesame seeds.
Tsoureki
Tsoureki is a sweet, braided Easter bread flavored with spices such as mahlepi and mastic, and often decorated with red-dyed eggs. It is enriched with eggs, butter and milk, so it differs from fasting breads.
Vasilopita and Christopsomo
Vasilopita is a New Year’s cake or bread, baked with a hidden coin; whoever finds it is said to have good luck for the year. For another New Year tradition built around bread and cake, see Irish New Year’s foods. Christopsomo (“Christ’s bread”) is a decorated loaf made for Christmas in many households. Recipes and customs vary from family to family and region to region.
Breads with added flavor
Olive bread and cheese bread are both found in Greek bakeries. Eliopsomo includes chopped olives, and often olive oil and herbs. Tiropsomo works feta and other cheese through the dough. Both pair well with soups, salads and meze. Fasting-period breads are typically made without dairy or eggs.
Easy Greek pita recipe
This recipe makes eight flatbreads and is based on a standard yeast dough cooked in a skillet. Times and results vary with your kitchen temperature and flour.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups (about 310 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for the work surface
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or dried oregano (optional)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) lukewarm water
- ¼ cup (60 ml) lukewarm milk, or plant milk
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for the bowl and pan
Method
- Combine the yeast, sugar, water and milk in a bowl. Leave for about 5 minutes, until foamy. If it does not foam, the yeast may be old, so start again with fresh yeast.
- Mix the flour, salt and herbs in a large bowl. Stir the olive oil into the yeast mixture, then add it gradually to the flour.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until smooth.
- Place in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise for about an hour, until roughly doubled.
- Divide into eight pieces, shape into balls, and stretch or roll each to a round about 7 to 8 inches (18 to 20 cm) across.
- Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat with a little olive oil. Cook each flatbread for about a minute per side, until it puffs a little and has brown spots. Add a touch of oil to the pan every couple of breads.
- Stack the cooked breads under a clean towel to keep them soft.
Expect a bread without a pocket, closer to a soft flatbread than a hollow pita.
Storing and reheating
- Keep cooled pita in a sealed bag or wrapped at room temperature for a couple of days.
- For longer storage, freeze with parchment between the rounds, then wrap well.
- Reheat in a dry skillet for around 30 to 60 seconds per side, or wrapped in foil in a moderate oven.
How to serve Greek bread
- Wrapped around souvlaki or gyros with tomato, onion and tzatziki
- Cut into wedges for dips such as tzatziki or melitzanosalata (eggplant dip)
- Brushed with olive oil and oregano and grilled as a side
- With a village salad or a plate of horta; see horta, Greek wild greens
FAQ
What are some common names for Greek bread?
Psomi (bread), pita, koulouri, lagana, tsoureki, paximadi and tiropsomo are among the common names.
Is gyro bread just pita bread?
In Greece, the bread used for gyros is called pita, but it is a soft, pocketless flatbread, different from many store-bought pocket pitas.
Can I make Greek bread at home with simple ingredients?
Yes. The skillet pita above needs only flour, yeast, water, milk, salt and olive oil.
Are Greek breads vegan?
Some are, such as plain village bread and lagana, but festive breads like tsoureki contain eggs, milk and butter. Check the recipe.